Hills Without Cacti

To my beloved colleagues, family members, followers, and general homies:

This week I received the notice from one of my companions that President Grisel (our mission president) is planning on moving me this next transfer, which is the Tuesday after the letter after this will be sent, assuming all goes according to plan. This is somewhat a hearsay -- my companion was told this during interviews with President Grisel I have yet to have -- but it does not surprise me in the slightest and, considering the original source, is extremely likely though not official until next Saturday, when we are told the final decisions. Transfer calls, as they are called, often feel more like an episode of Survivor than a normal phone call with leadership. Regardless, our wonderful Bishop McDonald has expressed his regrets at my departure and I have started saying my good-byes to all of the beloved members who I will miss so very much. I am quite attached to the Valencia Ward.

Beyond this being my final week in my "baby area" -- the area in which you are trained -- I do have some interesting stories from the past week, grand tales of adventure and intrigue in far-off lands of wonder and majesty. In all seriousness, I did sojourn in the land of Nogales, Arizona this week while on a one-day companion exchange. As part of my overnight trip I had the privelege of visiting Nogales, which is directly south of Tucson on the border: in fact, the Mexican side of Nogales is at least five times larger than the American side, and if I remember correctly is of a comparable size to Tucson (around 600,000 inhabitants). The American side has fewer than 100,000 and is decently mountainous, in opposition to Tucson. I was remarkably surprised to find that Nogales has very few sahuaro cacti, unlike Tucson, where they pepper the hills, streets, neighborhoods like no tomorrow. I was told this trend of few cacti extends down into Mexico. Nogales was notably greener (to my eyes) than Tucson, and the hills across the border looked absolutely verdant and lush compared to what I've grown used to here in Tucson. I also had the privilege of serving in a Spanish area for the duration of our exchange and was able to use a decent amount of the language in my speech, as well as listening to a member of our church speak for about an hour during an impromptu visit where they told us stories from their own mission in Mexico.

The work here in Valencia Ward (which covers South Tucson, or the area between I-19 and I-10, south of I-10 -- and some of the neighborhoods immediately to the east, namely Littletown, La Estancia, and Sycamore Park) continues, and we have had some wonderful success contacting here and visiting with the people. Most recently we had a referral met by other missionaries in another area in passing, who referred him to us -- he's a wonderful man who was previously baptized in Utah but has since lost touch with the ward (local congregation) since he moved. He has a great desire to attend the temple and we are now working with him to achieve just that! We continue to meet with many of the wonderful people who I've mentioned before -- in fact, I think perhaps all of the people I've mentioned before? To be quite frank I do not remember everyone I've previously mentioned over the last five months, but I can say that we are very busy here and that I love the work.

One person we've been meeting with who actually isn't a true investigator is our friend Jim, who is an evangelical Christian missionary who does missionary work for his church here in Tucson, and has been for seven years. The purpose of our occasional meetings is often to improve our understanding of one another's beliefs, and I personally love and greatly cherish our discussions. This last week he brought a friend to join us and we had a wonderful discussion, digging deep into the scriptures and making an almost melodic debate between our perspectives, steps carefully executed so as to ensure we avoid the great trap that is miscommunication and what is referred to (by us missionaries) as bashing, or when people start actively tearing down your faith and attempt to destroy your testimony. Despite our heartfelt convictions on either side, we have not bashed in the slightest (I am very proud of this -- an external observer actually made a note of this to me previously) and have had great, productive conversations. Either way: this last week, after a great and joyous (for me) conversation and discourse, one of the conclusions I came to is the inherent worth of such conversations -- conversations of God, of faith, of doctrine -- and the essential need to prioritize that essential goodness that comes from God, over our human instinct to seek immediate results. Only God knows what seeds we have planted, or what good will come of our actions. It is our duty simply to advance the things that are good.

In my reflections over the past few weeks and months, and through my studies, I believe that the Lord has given me some incredible opportunities to learn -- especially when this "book learning" is combined with the practical application of everyday missionary stresses, whether they be intellectual, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual. I am currently in the Book of Genesis in the Old Testament and am reading the Doctrine and Covenants as well (part of our Standard Works, or our basic set of scriptures as a church -- it is another book alongside the Book of Mormon that details God's dealings with humankind). I am nearly finished with Genesis, actually; it has been a wonderful read. One thing I have reflected on is how we may do more than simply theorizing and debating about the good (something which I sincerely believe we should do to further our understanding), but to apply it as well, to take these things from the realm of intellectual thought and, taking our knowledge of pure and simple truths, laying them out plainly for all people to see and benefit. As such we must promote the good: especially 'charity,' or the pure love of God -- agape in the original Greek. If I may invite you to do one thing this week, it is to apply those things that you know to be good -- especially Godly love, your love for your neighbors, your family, your fellow beings -- and go outside yourself and do something kind for someone, even if that means something as simple as complimenting a stranger on the street, or even a close friend, or thanking someone for something they do that you take for granted. Through small and simple things are great things brought to pass, and if you do this -- advance the good and truth you know -- even in the smallest part, I can promise you that you will have helped make the world a better place, and that you have done something inherently good. Is that not itself a great reward?

I hope this letter finds you all well. May God bless you and your families.

Elder Wyatt Brannon (7 Mar 2021)

Arizona Tucson Mission

* Minor corrections added during transcription, 8 Mar 2021.

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